


Miss Me More.

by caitlesshea



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Body Swap, Confessions, Crashdown - Freeform, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, F/M, Freaky Friday - Freeform, Ladiesofrnmweek2019, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-23
Updated: 2019-08-23
Packaged: 2020-09-24 10:27:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20356945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caitlesshea/pseuds/caitlesshea
Summary: Maria knows as soon as she opens her eyes that it’s going to hurt. She’s wildly uncomfortable and extremely overheated. That’s what she gets for tying one on with Isobel Evans.OrThe Maria/Isobel Body Swap AU for Ladies of RNM Week - Day 6.





	Miss Me More.

**Author's Note:**

> This is basically me wishing for Maribel to become a thing. I wasn't sure what to write for Ladies of RNM Week, but the body swap prompt hooked me, and then this happened. 
> 
> Huge thanks to @allthehearteyes & @bestillmyslashyheart as always!
> 
> Title from "Miss Me More" by Kelsea Ballerini.

Maria knows as soon as she opens her eyes that it’s going to hurt. She’s wildly uncomfortable and extremely overheated.  _ That’s what she gets for tying one on with Isobel Evans _ . 

** **

If she could only get Isobel to move than she could get out of the booth they both fell asleep in. She mentally counts to ten and then opens her eyes. Only instead of seeing the long blonde hair that she’s grown fond of braiding when they start drinking she sees her own curly hair laying on her chest. And when she goes to move Isobel’s head off of her she screams at the sight of slender pale fingers. 

** **

“Jeez DeLuca. Easy on the ears please.” Isobel says in an attitude that is entirely hers but a voice that is decidedly Maria. Instead of getting up though, Isobel boroughs further into Maria’s chest.

** **

“Isobel? Get up. Get up!” Maria says and shoves at her and when Isobel looks up at her she screams.

** **

“What the fuck?!” Isobel yells and scrambles out of the booth. She looks down at herself and then back to Maria. 

** **

“What did you do?!” Maria asks Isobel as she gets up out of the booth herself. 

** **

“Me! What do you mean ‘what did I do’?” Isobel stares back at her. 

** **

“I mean…you’re the alien. You obviously did something!”

** **

“I didn’t do anything!” 

** **

“Right.” Maria scoffs.

** **

“I’m calling Michael.” Isobel says as she starts rummaging through her purse for her phone. It takes a second to process what Isobel’s doing before she reaches out to stop her.

** **

“No! Don’t do that.”

** **

Isobel glares at her and it’s weird seeing Isobel’s glare on her own face. Isobel raises an eyebrow at her.

** **

“Is there a reason you don’t want me to call my brother, your boyfriend, to help us with what is clearly an alien problem?” 

** **

Maria sighs, Isobel’s not an idiot. She has to know things aren’t good between her and Michael. It’s been a little over three months since he kissed her, the night Max died saving Rosa, and if he isn’t working with Liz in the lab to bring Max back, he’s getting drunk in Maria’s bar. They’ve kissed only a handful of times and slept together once, when she tried to match him shot for shot. She knows that it’s stupid for her to hold onto something that isn’t working and that she isn’t even into anymore, but it makes shame curl around her that she ruined her friendship with her closest friend when she decided to pursue this. 

** **

“He’s out of town on some job for Sanders.” Maria says quietly and Isobel gives her a strange look. “I don’t want to tell him, or anyone that this happened. We’ll go to Liz. I was with her yesterday, maybe she did something.” 

** **

“Okay. But first we need to change. Let’s hope you have something upstairs that will fit me...well you.” Isobel goes to walk up the stairs and then turns around suddenly. “Shit.” Maria wants to laugh at Isobel swearing but she doesn’t.

** **

“What?”

** **

“I can’t go with you to Liz’s. I’m supposed to have lunch with Alex today at the Crashdown.” Maria knows the look in Isobel’s eyes because she makes it everyday.

** **

“No. No. Nope. Not happening.” Maria tries to shove Isobel upstairs.

** **

“You have too. I can’t show up in your body and we’ve been rescheduling this for weeks.” 

** **

“I haven’t spoken to him in months. I can’t do it wearing your face! I’ll be lying to him.” 

** **

Isobel scoffs. “Maybe this is what you need.”

** **

“It is not.”

** **

“Don’t tell me you don’t miss him.” Isobel narrows her eyes and Maria shakes her head. 

** **

“No. Reschedule. Text him now. We have to see Liz. I have to work tonight.” 

** **

“No you don’t. It’s your day off, which is why we got drunk.” Damn Isobel for knowing her schedule. 

** **

“Isobel.” Maria feels weird saying her name and not  _ Evans.  _ And she feels even weirder saying it when she’s in Isobel’s body. “I can’t go to lunch with Alex.”

** **

“You have too. I can’t cancel. I can’t. Not today.” Isobel is pleading with her. 

** **

“Why? What’s today?” Maria pushes but Isobel just shakes her head. 

** **

“I’ll go see Liz. I’ll tell her what happened and we’ll try to figure it out. You can come by the lab after lunch. Trust me. She’ll know I’m not you.”

** **

“And Alex will know I’m not you!” 

** **

“He won’t. Trust me. Just...act like me.”

** **

Maria scowls and Isobel smirks. “See. Perfect. Now. Let’s see if I can find something redeemable in your closet for you to wear.”

** **

With that, Isobel turns and lets herself into Maria’s apartment. _ Guess she’s going to lunch with Alex.  _

** **

**~~~**

** **

By the time Maria gets to the Crashdown, she’s late and her apartment looks like a bomb went off from Isobel tearing through her closet. Maria’s now in a dress with boots she forgot she owned but it’s long enough to cover Isobel’s long frame. She sees Alex at a table and walks over.

** **

“Hey. Sorry I’m late.” Alex looks up at her and stares and it’s then that Maria realizes her mistake. Isobel wouldn’t apologize for being late.

** **

“No problem.” Alex says skeptically. “Long night?” 

** **

“You could say that.” Maria grumbles and Alex laughs.

** **

“Another night drinking with Maria?” Alex teases and Maria pauses. This is obviously something that Isobel and Alex have talked about. She smiles and nods but ducks her head. 

** **

“Hey. I think it’s a good thing.” Alex says as he reaches across the table to grab her hand. Maria’s breath catches. It’s a move so similar to one he’s done hundreds of times since they met and Maria mourns the loss of him doing it with her.

** **

“What’s a good thing?” Maria asks even though she doesn’t want to know the answer. Or really, she doesn’t want to examine how Isobel’s answer would affect her as well. 

** **

“You moving on.” Alex says with a smile. “What is it you said the other day when Maria was wearing that bright yellow shirt. Something about a citrus snack.” Alex chuckles to himself and Maria freezes. She remembers wearing that top, and how she had wondered when Isobel first saw her that day, after she dropped her drink, if Isobel’s newly discovered telekinetic powers were on the fritz. She sucks in an involuntary breath.

** **

“She’s seeing Guerin.” Maria says as she thinks of herself. Alex pulls his hand away and gives her an odd look, and Maria realizes her second mistake of the day. She called Michael ‘Guerin’, which Isobel never does. 

** **

“So liking Maria isn’t ideal.” Alex is choosing to ignore the slip up and Maria’s never been more grateful. “But, opening yourself up to those feelings, to moving forward, that’s something to be proud of.” 

** **

Maria ponders that for a moment. She knows all about Isobel’s abuse at the hands of Noah. Even going so far as contributing to it when Isobel had begged her to tell her how many women she saw Noah leave the bar with. The late nights talking to Isobel these last couple of months have been a bright spot in Maria’s day. She’s surprised that they also make Isobel feel the same way but it still makes her feel warm inside. 

** **

“What about you? Any new guys?” Maria asks cheekily, like she would if Alex were still speaking to her. He gets a pained look on his face and takes a deep breath.

** **

“No. Just trying to work on myself lately.” Alex shrugs and Maria’s heart breaks. 

** **

“Well, Michael spends most of his nights drunk lately.” Maria says almost flippantly and that pained look is back in Alex’s eyes. He sighs heavily.

** **

“I know. I wish he’d talk to someone.” Alex shakes his head sadly. 

** **

“Well he can’t get drunk tonight since he’s away working for Sanders.” Maria says with only a hint of bitterness.

** **

“Huh? No he’s not, he’s with Patrick. I thought he told you?” _ Patrick? Who the hell is Patrick?  _

** **

“My Air Force buddy. You know? That I lived with. You’ve met him.” Alex puts his hand on her forehead. “Are you feeling okay?” 

** **

“Yes I’m fine. Sorry it slipped my mind.”

** **

“Right…”

** **

“No it did. I’m sorry. What’s he doing with Patrick again?”

** **

Alex looks at her funny. “Patrick says we have to share him nicely.” Alex scoffs. “So Michael got to see him this weekend.”

** **

“What’s this weekend?”

** **

“Isobel. Are you sure you’re okay?”

** **

“I’m fine. Just a long night.”  _ Understatement. _

** **

“Well. If you must know, the reason I dragged you to lunch today is that this would’ve been our ten year anniversary. Even though I definitely remember telling you this already.” 

** **

Maria feels like she’s been sucker punched _ . Ten year anniversary _ . She had no idea. Although if she’s being honest, she knew neither Michael or Alex were telling her the truth about their relationship, but to hear it laid out in black and white like that, it breaks her heart. It hurts her that she had something to do with them not being together, even if she wasn’t aware. 

** **

“Alex.” She chokes out and grabs his hand.

** **

“Isobel. It’s okay. We’ve been over this. He moved on. I hurt him. I walked away too many times. What is it he said? Crash landing. Not the easiest thing to hear.” 

** **

Maria doesn’t know what he’s talking about but the look on Alex’s face breaks her heart. She’s about to say something when his phone goes off and when he looks at it, he smiles. It’s a smile that Maria hasn’t seen in a long time, and she wishes, not for the first time today, that she was seeing it in her own body and they were here for lunch like old times. She asks the question before she even thinks about it.

** **

“Michael?” 

** **

Alex looks up startled and a sheepish smile takes over his face. “Yeah.”

** **

“I didn’t know you two were talking again.” 

** **

“We aren’t. Not really. It’s mostly about Project Shephard or Max if we do.”

** **

“But that’s not about either of those things?” She tilts her head down towards the phone and he gives her another weird look.

** **

“No. It’s actually...well it’s a sweater for Wentz.” Alex turns the phone towards her and she sees the text and the picture. 

** **

[ _ Michael: Thinking of you today _ ] and then a picture of a dog sweater in a very familiar looking pattern. 

** **

_ And since when did Alex get a dog? _

** **

“That matches Michael’s blanket.” Maria says before she can stop herself. She knows it does, because Isobel was folding said blanket and Maria thought it had looked familiar. Isobel explained it was Michael’s and she washes it once a month for him when he brings his clothes over. 

** **

“Well. It was  _ my _ blanket. When I was young. My mom left it for me actually. I gave it to him to use in the shed. I thought it had gotten burned by my dad with the rest of my stuff but I saw it my first trip home in his trailer. I let him keep it.” Alex shrugs his shoulders. 

** **

“He got you an anniversary present?” Maria asks before she can stop herself. She finds that even though she’s talking about the guy she’s dating she isn’t upset. Probably more proof that they shouldn’t be together. And it’s not like Michael has texted her or was even honest about where he was.

** **

“He didn’t get me a present because we aren’t together. He got my dog a sweater.” Alex chuckles and stares at his phone again. 

** **

“Do you normally exchange gifts?” Maria asks without thinking. He looks at her funny again.

** **

“C’mon. Humor me. I don’t have the best track record. I want to know what other couples do.” 

** **

“One. Not a couple. And two. We really should never be anyone’s example for how couples should be. Like ever.” Alex says and rolls his eyes at Maria’s pleading look. She knows  _ she _ can never resist Isobel’s fluttering eyelashes and puppy dog eyes and it seems Alex can’t either. He sighs.

** **

“We were more practical gift givers. Like that stupid cowboy hat.” Alex grumbles.

** **

“You’re the one who got him that?!” Maria laughs. It’s Michael’s favorite thing ever, and he’s been wearing it for years. 

** **

“Yeah.” Alex chuckles. “I was stationed in Texas and he came to visit. He had just started working on Foster’s Ranch and he was grumbling about cowboys. So we passed a western shop and I got it for him. Wears that thing everywhere now.” 

** **

Maria smiles. “Anything else?”

** **

“Well...one year it was that belt buckle, another was his fancy pair of boots.” Alex shrugs and Maria can see the slight blush rising on his cheeks.

** **

“So you’re the reason he’s full on cowboy?” Maria quips.

** **

“No, working on the ranch did that. I just got him those things as gifts.” Alex laughs and then sobers and shakes his head like he’s shaking off another memory. 

** **

Maria misses Alex and misses talking to Alex. The more time she spends with him, however unconventional, she knows that she shouldn’t be dating Michael. She’s been holding onto him for a couple months longer than she should have, and they both know it. 

** **

“What did he get you?” Maria asks quietly. Alex’s face takes on a truly amazing journey. From wariness, to happiness, and then finally resignation. 

** **

“Random things really. When I was starting my recovery and using the pool he got me an alien pool float. He actually made me a solar system one year. Kind of like those old science projects. Neither of us had a lot of money in the beginning. Pretty sure he borrowed the paints from the library.” Alex smiles. “Most of the gifts have been space related. Should’ve known.” 

** **

Maria smiles and squeezes his hand. She lets the conversation wash over her as Alex reminisces, not for the first time wishing she could join in with her own stories. But not of Michael. Of another alien.

** **

**~~~**

** **

Maria gets back home and finds Isobel and Liz sitting on her bed. Liz with a bowl of popcorn and Isobel looking through some of Maria’s shirts.

** **

“Uh guys?”

** **

Liz turns to her and smiles. “So...this is my bad.” Liz points between the two of them. “It should wear off by tomorrow.”

** **

“Gee. Thanks.” Maria scoots Liz over as Isobel gets up to walk back into Maria’s closet grumbling about lack of organization. 

** **

Maria takes some popcorn and laughs as Isobel keeps throwing clothes out onto the floor. “Alex should be here and we should be talking about what it’s like to date an alien.”

** **

Liz, all knowing, and ever wise to Maria looks at her. “So I take it you think you’re dating the wrong one?”

** **

Maria looks longingly at where Isobel is destroying her closet. “Yeah.”

** **

Isobel comes back out with more shirts and eats some popcorn. “What?”

** **

“Nothing.” Both Liz and Maria say at the same time. Isobel makes a face at them. 

** **

“Is this how people feel when Max and I do that?” 

** **

“Yes.” Liz and Maria say and they all start laughing. Maria will be glad when she’s back in her own body but she’s strangely happy that this happened. It made her wake up and realize some things. Things that make her blush sitting here in bed with Isobel and her best friend. 

** **

**~~~**

** **

Maria wakes up the next morning to heat at her back and a slender hand around her waist. She turns her head and sees Liz holding back her laughter.

** **

“Good to see the swap wore off.” Liz whispers and Maria looks down at her own body and smiles. 

** **

“Thank you.” Maria says and gives Liz a knowing look. Liz has the decency to look sheepish but nods as she waves goodbye. 

** **

“You’re thinking too loud DeLuca.” Isobel grumbles as she shifts away. Maria misses her instantly. 

** **

“I have to call Michael.” Maria says suddenly as she reaches for her phone. Isobel freezes and nods. Maria grabs her hand. 

** **

“Not like that.” 

** **

Isobel looks at her skeptically but eventually loses some of her tension. 

** **

The phone connects and Maria smiles. “DeLuca hey. I’ve been meaning to call.” Michael says through the line.

** **

“No you haven’t, but that’s okay.” 

** **

Michael sighs. “I’m…”

** **

“No, don’t say sorry. We’ve been holding onto this for the wrong reasons don’t you think?” 

** **

“Yeah.” Michael agrees.

** **

“I think there are other people we should be holding onto don’t you?” 

** **

“Geez. Don’t call me when you’re in bed with my sister DeLuca. No hard feelings. I promise.” 

** **

Maria laughs at his accurate assessment. 

** **

“Guerin.”

** **

“Yes?”

** **

“Don’t break his heart.”

** **

“Don’t break hers.” Michael says as they say their goodbyes.

** **

“You really just broke up with my brother over the phone?” Isobel asks as she shifts on the bed.

** **

“I did.” Maria says as she pulls Isobel to her and kisses her like she’s wanted to for the last two months. 

** **

**~6 months later~**

** **

Maria walks into Alex’s and Michael’s cabin with Liz hot on her heels. These weekly get-togethers with the three of them while their alien other halves hang out together are some of her favorite parts of her week. They switch hosting places and activities but it’s nice to be able to be with her two best friends again. It had only taken Alex and Maria a couple of weeks to get over their initial awkwardness and then it was like they never had any issues. 

** **

“Hey.” Alex says from the kitchen. “Thanks for bringing the polish. What colors did you get?”

** **

“Black for you, obviously. Red for Liz, and yellow for me.”

** **

“Yellow?” Alex asks as they walk into the living room where Liz has set up their wine and nail painting station.

** **

“Isobel likes it.” Maria shrugs and Alex looks at her strangely almost like he’s remembering his conversation at the Crashdown with who he thought was Isobel. 

** **

Maria looks around his living room and smiles when she sees the solar system that Michael made Alex for their first anniversary sitting on a shelf.

** **

“Didn’t know you kept a science project Alex?” Maria asks and he really looks at her strangely. 

** **

“I didn’t. Michael made it.” Alex finally says and Liz coos over how cute they are. They still haven’t told anyone what happened to Maria and Isobel that day but Maria has a sneaking suspicion that Alex knows, that he’s always known. 

** **

Alex goes to sit down on the couch and Maria joins him. 

** **

“C’mon. Let’s paint your nails to look like a citrus snack.” Alex quips at Maria and Maria laughs and smiles.

** **

Alex knows and Maria’s definitely with the right alien now. 

****  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Come find me on Tumblr - same username!


End file.
